She eyed the fork. There was something strangely intimate about sharing one utensil, which said something, considering her current seating arrangement.
“You’re sure you don’t mind?” she asked.
He nuzzled the back of her neck. “Not at all.”
She stared at the fork for a long moment, but her stomach growled, and hunger won. She plucked the utensil from Nikhail’s hand and lifted it, sliding the cake into her mouth.
A moan slipped from her lips with the first bite. This might be the single best piece of chocolate cake she’d ever eaten. Her inner fae preened that Nikhail had provided this for her, and she couldn’t stop herself from grinning as she leaned forward, taking another bite.
The chocolate cakewas the best she’d ever had, and once she started eating, she discovered how hungry she was. After the cake, she demolished most of the fries, a burger, and half the container of noodles. Miraculously, she didn’t end up dropping any food on her dress.
Now that her hunger was sated, River could no longer ignore the fact that she was alone in a hotel room with the man who had occupied most of her dreams for years. His chest was warm against her back, but it was his hardened length that had her full attention.
At first, she’d tried ignoring it, but that was practically impossible, given her position. And honestly? She didn’t want to ignore it any longer. In the past, she would’ve, but now, things were different.
Theywere different.
River searched within herself for any lingering trepidation about her relationship with Nikhail, but she found none. Before she could think twice about what she was doing, she turned in his lap.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” she murmured, her gaze sweeping over his. “For dinner… and for everything else.”
She leaned over and brushed her mouth over his. The kiss was soft and warm and nice…
But she didn’t want nice. Not right now. Not after having been forced to deal with her mother for the past two days. Not when all she and Nikhail had had were stolen moments.
No, they were finally alone, and she wanted him.
All of him.
Mind made up, River deepened their embrace. She threaded her hands through Nikhail’s hair, drawing him closer to her. Each swipe of her lips against his, each meeting of their mouths, only strengthened her resolve.
She flattened her palms on his shirt, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her touch. “You really aren’t afraid of me,” she said in wonderment.
He shook his head, his amber eyes locked on her. “Never.”
A fire ignited deep within her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she lowered her mouth to his once again. Their mouths merged, long and slow, and her fingers trailed down his chest.
One by one, she plucked at the buttons of his white dress shirt. His breath hitched, and he moved the chair further away from the table, but he didn’t pull away or ask her to stop.
River kept going until every button was undone. The fabric split apart like curtains, revealing Nikhail’s rigid stomach muscles. She placed her hands on his bare chest, reveling at his sharp intake of breath. He didn’t tell her to stop, and that emboldened her.
Trailing her fingers down his chest, she traced the scars lining his abs.
“Where did you get this one?” she asked, tracing a three-inch raised pink line that must have hurt.
He leaned forward and kissed the corner of her lip, his breath skating over her mouth. “At work.”
She traced another raised scar, this one a bit lower than the last. “And this one?”
“Same thing,” he said, his voice hoarse. “About ten years ago.”
“Hmm.” River hummed, her fingers trailing down Nikhail’s stomach, headed towards the promising V that had been taunting her since his shirt fell away. “It seems there’s a theme here. You must get into very dangerous things at work, Nikhail.”
She traced the waistband of his pants, and he groaned.
“I do,” he rumbled, curling his fingers over hers and stopping her from going further.
She pouted, looking up at him.